Rawalpindi, 4 March 2024: On the back of a brilliant all-round performance by skipper Shadab Khan, Islamabad United edged out Peshawar Zalmi by 29 runs at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Monday night. Shadab, player of the match, scored 80 with the bat and claimed three vital scalps with the ball.
United with this triumph also crept up to the third position on the points table. This was Peshawar Zalmi’s third loss in HBL PSL 9.
Zalmi’s pursuit of the challenging 197-run total began dramatically as they lost their opening batters in the first over. Babar Azam was run out for a golden duck trying to steal a single after nudging the ball toward mid-on where Alex Hales took no time to hit the stumps.
Naseem Shah induced an edge from Saim Ayub’s bat a ball later removing him cheaply. Naseem returned an over later to bowl his first-ever maiden in his 35-game-long HBL PSL career.
Mohammad Haris (1, 4b), batting at three, was caught at short fine leg by Imad Wasim trying to flick one off Rumman Raees.
A double-wicket maiden by Hunain Shah left Zalmi reeling at 18-5 at the end of the powerplay as he removed Tom Kohler-Cadmore for 12 off 14 balls while Rovman Powell returned for a three-ball duck.
Aamir Jamal and Paul Walter joined forces to put on the highest-ever sixth-wicket partnership in HBL PSL history, scoring 107 off 62 balls. Aamir. aggressor in this partnership, brought up his maiden T20 fifty off just 27 balls on the back of five boundaries and three sixes.
Zalmi required 77 off the last five overs when Shadab brought himself on and broke the threatening partnership when he dismissed Walter (33, 29b, 5x4s). In the following over, Aamir struck Naseem for three boundaries in a bid to keep his team in the game.
Shadab returned in the 18th over to seal the game for United as he brought an end to Aamir’s glorious fighting knock of 87 from 49 balls comprising eight fours and six towering maximums. Shadab also reached the 300 T20 wickets milestone, becoming only the sixth Pakistan player to do so.
United bowlers wrapped up Zalmi’s innings for 167-9, winning the game by 29 runs. Shadab led the way with three wickets while Hunain and Rumman chipped in with two scalps. Naseem bagged one wicket.
Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and elected to bowl first. Saim, opening the bowling for Zalmi, took Hales by surprise on the very first ball, as he rattled the stumps of the United opener with a vicious carrom ball pitched on a teasing length.
Salman Ali Agha joined Colin Munro in the middle and announced his arrival with style as he smashed Luke Wood for a six and four in the second over.
Saim returned to bag his third HBL PSL 9 scalp in the next over as he duped Munro into playing the third big shot of the over only to be caught by Babar, leaving United 28-2.
Shadab, batting at four, showed intent from the get-go to help his team finish the powerplay with 46-2 on the board. The duo of Salman and Shadab added a substantial 65 off 44 balls for the third-wicket partnership.
In the 11th over, Salman Irshad struck to remove his namesake Salman (37, 25b, 4x4s, 2x6s), who in his bid to attempt a scoop shot edged the ball to the keeper.
Shadab brought up his seventh HBL PSL half-century off 34 balls in the 13th over. The following two overs, delivered by Mohammad Zeeshan and Aamir respectively, were ransacked for 15 runs each as Shadab continued to wield the willow aggressively.
Jordan Cox stitched a fourth-wicket partnership of 68 on the back of 39 balls with Shadab (80, 51b, 4x4s, 6x6s) before Wood struck to eke out the scalp of the United skipper courtesy of a diving catch by Saim.
Azam Khan’s (29 not out, 14b, 4x4s, 1×6) belligerent stay on the crease meant that United scored 35 off the last three overs notching a total of 196-4 in the allotted 20 overs.
Saim was the pick of Zalmi bowlers as he returned with two wickets while Wood and Salman bagged one each.
Scores in brief:
Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 29 runs
Islamabad United 196-4, 20 overs (Shadab Khan 80, Salman Ali Agha 37, Azam Khan 29 not out; Saim Ayub 2-15)
Peshawar Zalmi 167-9, 20 overs (Aamir Jamal 87, Paul Walter 33; Shadab Khan 3-41, Hunain Shah 2-25, Rumman Raees 2-28)
Player of the match – Shadab Khan (Islamabad United)
